1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to no fat or reduced fat baking compositions containing sodium bicarbonate as a leavening agent.
2. Background Information Including Description of Related Art
Because of health considerations, there has been increased emphasis in recent years on the consumption of food products having reduced fat content. This has been a particularly troublesome problem in the case of many bakery products, (e.g., cakes, cookies, crackers, muffins, breads, pastries, etc.) wherein the role of shortening, an edible fat or oil, is crucial in obtaining a baked product having a desirable texture, appearance, and taste. In this regard, the interaction of the shortening, leavening agent, e.g. sodium bicarbonate or baking soda, and water in the baking composition, i.e., the batter or baking dough, appears to be significant in obtaining the aforementioned desirable properties of the baked product.
Various fat replacers have been developed which have been substituted for all or part of the shortening in baking compositions, such as hydrolyzed starches, e.g., dextrins and maltodextrins, pectins, concentrated undenatured and non-oxidized proteins, natural gums, edible emulsifiers such as mono- and diglycerides, stearoyl lactylate salts, and mixtures of these substances. It has been found however that the use of these substances to replace all or part of the shortening in baking compositions used to produce bakery products, many of which contain sodium bicarbonate as a chemical leavening agent, increases the difficulty of mixing the composition and may result in baked products somewhat deficient in structure, appearance and/or flavor. Thus, any modification of no fat or reduced fat baking compositions used to produce bakery products which eliminates or reduces the foregoing deficiencies in processing and properties, is very desirable.
The following prior art references may be considered relevant or material to the invention claimed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,521, issued Nov. 20, 1973 to Tsen et al., discloses a method of decreasing or eliminating the shortening required in yeast or chemically leavened baked products by incorporating in the dough or batter, in lieu of the shortening omitted, from 0.1 to 3% based on the weight of the flour content of the dough or batter, of a sodium or calcium salt of an acyl lactylate of a C.sub.14 -C.sub.22 fatty acid. The entire disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,025, issued Aug. 22, 1978 to Lauck, discloses leavened baked goods, particularly high protein, low fat biscuits, in which the leavening agent is sodium bicarbonate and a leavening acid, and the shortening is at least partially replaced by a whey protein concentrate in which the protein is substantially undenatured and non-oxidized. The entire disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,635, issued Aug. 2, 1983 to Roudebush et. al., discloses a microwave cake mix containing sugar, flour, any of various additives considered to be fat replacers, and a chemical leavening agent which may comprise sodium bicarbonate. There is no disclosure of any particle size distribution of the chemical leavening system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,018, issued Oct. 6, 1992 to Lajoie et. al., teaches a chemical leavening system intended for baked goods, which may comprise sodium bicarbonate (SBC). The SBC has a particle size within the range of about 25 to 250, preferably about 30 to 210 microns. Example II of the patent shows the use of SBC having an average particle size of about 95 microns, with the particles being within the range of about 45 to 150 microns.
A. Abboud, "Systems Approach to Reducing Fat in Baked Goods", AIB (American Institute of Baking) Research Department Technical Bulletin, Vol. XVII, Issue 12, December 1995, pages 1-4, discusses the use of fat replacers in general contemplated for use in this invention, while edible emulsifiers in particular, suitable as fat replacers, are discussed in B. S. Kamel, "Surfactants in Bakery Foods" AIB (American Institute of Baking) Technical Bulletin, Vol. XV, Issue 7, July 1993, Pages 1-12. The entire disclosures of both these articles are incorporated herein by reference.
A. Davis, "Water Activity--New Interest in an Old Concept", AIB (American Institute of Baking) Technical Bulletin, Vol. II, Issue 3, March 1980, pages 1-4, has a detailed discussion of the property of water activity as applied to foods. The entire disclosure of this reference is incorporated herein by reference.
W. C. Frazier, Food Microbiology, 2nd Ed. (New York, McGraw Hill, 1967) 5-7, contains a definition and discussion of water activity (a.sub.W) of foods, particularly as it relates to the growth of microorganisms.